1818.] the Commencement of the Year 1817. Part I. 33 



have repeatedly evaporated the sea water of the Frith of Forth to 

 dryness ; but do not depend upon my results, as (he experiments 

 were conducted in an open vessel. Such experiments, in order 

 to be correct, ought to be conducted in retorts, and the saline 

 contents ought to be slightly reddened. 



XI. VEGETABLE BODIES. 



1. Olivile. — M. Pelletier, on making some experiments on the 

 gum of the olive tree, found that it was composed essentially of 

 two substances, one having a great analogy with the resins, the 

 other of a peculiar nature, to which he gave the name of olivile. 

 It contained also a small quantity of benzoic acid. 



To obtain the olivile in a state of purity, M. Pelletier em- 

 ployed the following process. The gum was treated with recti- 

 fied alcohol, which dissolved the whole of it. Tire liquid was 

 filtered, and left for spontaneous evaporation. It gradually 

 deposits crystals in flattened needles of a yellowish white 

 colour. By redissolving them in alcohol and crystallizing a 

 second time, or by washing them in sulphuric ether, they may 

 be obtained of a very white colour, and in a state of purity. 

 These crystals constitute the olivile. If the evaporation of the 

 alcoholic solution be continued, crystals of olivile are deposited, 

 always more and more coloured, and at last the whole assumes 

 the form of a granular red mass. By washing this substance in 

 ether, a portion of the colouring matter is dissolved. By 

 repeated solutions in alcohol, and evaporations, the whole of the 

 olivile may be obtained in a state of sufficient purity. Its pro- 

 perties are as follows : 



It has the form of a white, brilliant, starchy powder, or of 

 flattened needles. It has no smell. Its taste is quite peculiar, 

 being at the same time bitter and sweet, and having something 

 aromatic. It melts at the temperature of 158°, and when 

 cooled has the appearance of a transparent resin of a slightly 

 yellowish colour. In this state it becomes electric by friction, 

 but does not appear to have undergone any chemical change. 

 When thrown upon a red hot coal, it takes fire with difficulty, 

 and burns with the emission of much smoke. When distilled, it 

 furnishes water, acetic acid, and oil ; but no ammonia. 



It is scarcely soluble in cold water. Boiling water dissolves 

 the thirty-second part of its weight of it. The solution is 

 transparent and colourless ; but becomes milky on cooling, from 

 the separation of the olivile, which remains long suspended in the 

 liquid. The alkalies facilitate the solution of olivile in water 

 without altering its nature when they are not concentrated. 



Nitric acid dissolves it without the assistance of heat, acquir- 

 ing a deep red colour. When heat is applied, the action 

 increases very much, the red colour disappears, and the liquid 

 becomes yellow on cooling. Much oxalic acid is deposited, and 

 some yellow, bitter matter is formed. Diluted sulphuric acid has 



Vol. XII. N° I. C 



